Victory Travelers

Formed in 1960 at the Precious Grove Baptist Church by Reuben Burton, Reverend James Powell, Houston Jones, and Eddie Franklin, the Victory Travelers spent their formative years rehearsing after hours in a furniture store. By the time tape rolled in 1970 on their first album sessions, only Powell, Jones, and Burton remained, augmented by Joyce Collin and Ben Franklin. The group approached West Side entrepreneur and country artist Gene Cash to produce the sessions that would ultimately appear on their self-titled Jade label LP. The backing band, including guitarist Dave Riley, drummer Harvey Morris, and bassist Joe Campbell, had packed so much fiery punch into “I Know I’ve Been Changed” that Cash insisted a 45 be produced, issuing it on his one-off Courtn’ imprint. The group would later issue singles on the Glory, HOB, One Way, Parliament, and Whirl Hill labels, and the album He’s A God for the Rapture label in 1983.